Twins SP Phil Hughes hits double-digit win total

by Elliott Smith | Staff Writer

(7/31/15)Phil Hughes wasn't dominant, but he didn't have to be, as the Twins gave their starter plenty of offensive support in a victory Thursday.

Hughes allowed five runs and 10 hits in his five innings of work, but it was enough to earn him his 10th victory of the season. He struck out five and didn't walk a batter for the second straight start.

Hughes (10-6) has now won six straight decisions.

Twins SP Phil Hughes shines in strong outing against the Yankees

by Jason Lempert | Staff Writer

(7/24/15) Twins hurler Phil Hughes shut down his former team, as he blanked the Yankees for seven innings on Friday night. Hughes allowed seven hits and did not walk a batter while striking out three in the 10-1 victory.

Hughes (9-6) spent seven seasons with the Yankees prior to joining the Twins. He is now 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA in three starts against his old club.

This season, Hughes has seen some uneven results. His nine wins so far are tops among the Twins' staff.

He has a 2.44 ERA over his past seven starts after Friday's strong outing. But he has two starts of four earned runs allowed during that stretch and has averaged under 3.5 strikeouts per game in those outings.

Twins SP Phil Hughes tosses seven innings in no-decision

by Ruben Palacios | Staff Writer

(7/19/15) Twins starting pitcher Phil Hughes was solid during his start on Saturday against the Athletics.

Hughes tossed seven innings, allowed just one run on six hits while picking up a no-decision. He struck out two batters and allowed just one walks. Hughes made just one mistake; a solo home run to A's designated hitter Billy Butler.

Hughes (8-6) has a 4.15 ERA in 123 2/3 innings of work.

Phil Hughes takes no decision in Twins' extra-inning win

by Shawn Krest | CBSSports.com

(7/6/15) Twins starter Phil Hughes went his fifth straight start without a loss, taking a no-decision against Baltimore on Monday.

Hughes is 3-0 with two no-decisions since his last loss, on June 8. He gave up two runs on nine hits, his most since June 3.

Hughes walked one and struck out three. He left with the score tied, and Minnesota eventually won in 10 innings.

2014 summary: After seven mostly torturous seasons as a Yankee, a change of scenery -- to Minnesota -- and arsenal helped to produce a stellar season for Phil Hughes. Pitching home games at Target Field did wonders for Hughes' home run rate, but the re-introduction of a cutter, which Hughes frequently used to finish off lefty batters, was also critical to his newfound success. No qualifying major league starter pounded the strike zone more often or induced a higher proportion of swings on pitches outside the zone. That combination made it almost impossible for hitters to walk against Hughes, as he issued 16 free passes in 209 2/3 innings, posting a 3.52 ERA and 1.13 WHIP in the process.

Playing time status: Hughes emerged as the Twins' ace, and last season could have been the first of many 200-inning seasons for him.

2015 outlook: Hughes was a top 20 starting pitcher in Fantasy last season, and even if he walks a few more batters this year, he will likely make up for it by lowering his .330 BABIP. Look for a repeat of his 2014 performance, which would make him an appropriate target within the first 60 picks overall in standard Head-to-Head leagues and first 80 picks in standard Rotisserie leagues.
(Updated 12/9/14)